The Darkest Priestess
by Black Firelight
Summary: Peace & Purity. They seem rather similar, but no one has ever had both simultaneously...for a reason some would say. Yet some continue to try for it. Be careful what you wish for...you might find yourself in the dark. KagXHiei. RE-Write
1. Prologue: Luminescence

**_Foreword:_** :D Didja miss it? lol, well some of you probably don't even know this fic is actually a rewritten version of the previous TDP. I decided that i wanted to continue it, but at the same time having rewatched YYH realized there were too many flaws in the story line and have decided to rewrite it to make it flow as realistically as possible both on the YYH end as well as the IY end. Anyone familiar with this tale's previous incarnation will probably also be aware of the fact that my writing has also improved. ^^ And on that note i feel the need to warn you that this chapter is currently not beta-ed. My beta will probably be done with it in a few days, after which i will review it again, make the necessary corrections and repost it. Until then, i hope you enjoy. ^^

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha nor any of the associated characters. In fact i'm pretty sure they belong to Rumiko Takahashi and whats-his-name Togashi! (. I think) I own merely the plot and any associated Original Characters used for the purpose of furthering the plot. This will be the only time i make such a polite disclaimer, so enjoy it while it lasts. ^^

**Beta'ed & Reposted**: 10/19/2011

**The Darkest Priestess**

_**Prologue: Luminescence**_

_She had thought herself prepared, as stared down the spinning shaft that marked her death. How wrong she'd been. Her end was neither peaceful nor serene. It was quite painful; agonizing really. Death had not come swift; dimly aware she was of the metal that bit deep into her bosom. She waited for the fading of her senses, ready to drift into her final slumber, yet sleep did not come. Instead a prickling feeling erupted over her skin and scorching heat flooded her hollow shell. No, her end was not of peaceful sleep, but of torturous oblivion. The cry that erupted from her was both her own and another's, but it mattered not as it was swallowed up by the swell of hot white light. And then…she was gone._

**/\*/\*/\*/\*/\**

Among the gore laden battlefield is not where she wanted to encounter her. Not that she particularly wanted to encounter her at all really, but here as they battled Naraku for both their lives and their futures Kagome was unsure of how to feel when she stepped into her line of sight. The remnant winds of the Kaze no Kizu ruffled through scarlet hakama and toyed with the ends of long dark hair.

"Kikyo…" she breathed.

The woman in question turned her gaze upon her, "Reincarnate…no, Kagome." Her brown eyed stare leveled upon Kagome evenly and Kagome knew then that she'd come for her, but for what?

"Why are you here Kikyo?" Her voice easily giving away her fears as she gripped her bow tighter. She didn't want to fight her, in fact she wasn't sure she'd win anyway.

The dead woman was silent for a long moment and the sounds of the battle nearly claimed her attention once more, but then she spoke, "You love him, do you not?"

She'd been shocked into silence. "Wha…"

Kikyo's face remained schooled in the same blank and peaceful expression, "Inuyasha. You love him." She stated, rather than ask this time.

She hesitated, unsure of what her answer would mean, but decided it couldn't do much harm to speak truthfully, "Yes. I do love him…but…"

It was then that Kikyo moved. It was subtle, yet alarming for the battle weary Kagome.

"But?" Kikyo questioned, her head tilted to the side slightly and eyes narrowed.

"But i…"She paused. What did Kikyo want her to say? What could she possibly want, here and now of all places? "I'm not foolish enough to give my heart to him."

Kikyo's gaze turned from her then, watching said hanyou plow through hordes of demons with a reckless swing of Tetsuaiga. "Why?" her voice was soft and almost inaudible.

_Why?_ She wanted to know _why_. Kagome was ready to yell in frustration. She was supposed to be watching their backs not chatting about her love life to her reanimated former self! She knew better however, she needed to stay calm. So huffing wearily Kagome answered her, "Because I know how he feels. I know that…I know that he loves me." She flinched as Kikyo's hard stare landed on her once more, "but I also" she rushed to continue, "know that he loves you as well. And I know that he'll never be able to choose and to ask him to do so would be wrong." Kagome ignored the soft sound of Kikyo's snort, "And because of that I've decided to let him go. As much as I love him, I want…no. I need someone who can choose me without hesitation." The smile that spread across Kikyo's face nearly made her drop her bow.

With a relieved sigh Kikyo graced her with a look that could only be described as grateful, "While not exactly what I was hoping for, it will suffice." In a smooth motion that came from years of repetition Kikyo retrieved her bow and noched an arrow. "Thank you Kagome." And she raised her armed weapon level to her reincarnate's heart.

Kagome's mind screamed at her to move. To do something_; run, scream, return the gesture, something…anything_, but stand frozen in shock. Yet, she couldn't. "Why are you doing this Kikyo?" Hadn't she just basically told her that she didn't want Inuyasha? Why was she aiming at her?

"You want to live to see your home again, do you not?" She spoke again before Kagome could answer, "Then lift your bow and kill me. Or die by my hand. Either is fine by me."

**/\*/\*/\*/\*/\**

There was no clean slice. Not when Tetsuaiga was in Inuyasha's hands. Instead, the demonic fang cleaved through bodies like a serrated edge, knocking away just as much as it cut. With a heave, Inuyasha's planted foot shoved the large loin-clothed oni sending it reeling backwards. Before it could recover, however, he swung his blade wide and it tore through its neck removing the head completely.

Landing on the balls of his feet, Inuyasha quickly surveyed his surroundings before moving to dash into the fray once more. Yet before his feet could find purchase with his second step, he nearly stumbled as he looked over to his left, upon the hill Kagome was stationed. His mouth ran dry as he took in Kikyo's form, armed and ready…ready to kill Kagome. He nearly sprinted to them when Kagome armed herself as well, an arrow pointed in Kikyo's direction. _No_…Why is this happening _now_?

"Getting distracted are we, Inuyasha?" The only warning he received prior to the thick tentacle piercing the ground where'd he been mere moments ago.

He glared up at the armored being, intent to go on the offensive only to be forced into blocking as Naraku bore down upon him, dark amusement glimmering in his scarlet eyes. Clenching his jaw, the silver haired hanyou shoved Naraku back with a fierce cry.

"Wind Scar!" He sliced the blade down and the chaotic wounds shredded the ground with unholy fury. The scarlet eyed abomination merely smirked at the display, thoroughly pleased when the furious winds collided with his barrier. "Really? Is that the best you can do without your little priestess?" His tone mocking, he continued, "I'm disappointed in you, Inuyasha, but then again that's all you are, aren't you? A disappointment."

Growling, Inuyasha charged in recklessly, the Tetsuaiga bearing down on Naraku's form. "Shut the fuck up!"

The half demon's growl fell into a guttural snarl as Naraku's dark chuckles carried across the battlefield as the spider demon easily side stepped his wild swing. Naraku's dark chuckles carried across the battlefield and the half demon swung wildly with Tetsuaiga, his growl falling into guttural snarl. Easily sidestepping the swing, Naraku batted Inuyasha to the side like a fly with a stray tentacle. "I'd say maybe you should ask for help, but it seems your priestess is rather preoccupied." He turned to glimpse the hilltop where Kikyo and Kagome were currently in a stand-off. A snide smile spread across his face, "I never thought they'd do my work for me. How nice of them. Either way I win." He laughed again.

"Bastard!" Inuyasha yelled, raising the Tetsuaiga and charging at him again.

**/\*/\*/\*/\*/\**

"Wind Tunnel!" The winds shrieked along with the countless number of lesser demons as they clawed at the ground in a futile attempt to save themselves from certain doom. Their struggles futile as many of them were drawn into the black depths of the monk's hand, however, several escaped with their lives when the saimyosho came in flying low and the monk was forced to seal his wind tunnel. "Sango!"

"I know, Miroku." Her voice steady and assured, she stepped forward as he stepped back, ofuda already being prepped. "Hiraikotsu!" She slung the massive boomerang through the air and was grimly satisfied when a vast majority of the flying pests were destroyed. She dug her heels into the sloping hillside as the spinning weapon curved back at her. Reflexively, she slid back low to the ground, boomerang in hand as several glowing strips of paper flew over her head where they attached themselves to the bodies of steadily incoming demons and promptly annihilated them. Tossing a quick look over her shoulder to signal the monk, she then turned to face forward and readied her weapon as Miroku came to her side to unleash his vortex again.

Predictably, the leftovers of the saimyosho swarmed towards it, eager to lay down their lives and poison him. And then suddenly the winds were silent. "Now, Sango!"

Not bothering with a response, she released her weapon into the air; it sliced into the swarm, effectively lessening their number and on its return only one remained and it too was quickly destroyed by a single ofuda. Shouldering her weapon, she turned from Miroku, pausing only to meet his eyes. He smiled at her in thanks. He didn't mind that she was leaving him to his devices. If he needed her, he knew where she'd be-at his back. Quickly they fell back into the tag team rhythm they'd developed in and out of battle, but they were soon interrupted by a cry.

"KAGOME!"

/\*/\*/\*/\*/\

"Weigh your options, girl. You will either perish here and our soul will become one inside my vessel; and you…will never see your friends, your family, your _world_ again." Her blank brown eyes narrowed into harden slits as if to cut. "Or you will do as I say, reincarnate."

Kagome stared, fear and shock mirrored in her grey-blue eyes. She couldn't begin to fathom what had brought this on. What reason could Kikyo possibly want to end her life?

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Kagome's voice clearly carrying the edge of desperation.

The porcelain mask that was Kikyo's face twisted in annoyance at her words. "I've neither the time nor care for your questions. Die."

Her eyes widened as the pink energy that gathered upon Kikyo's arrow blazed it's light upon her form. Fear. It was thing that paralyzed her. It was the thing that tingled down her spine. It was also the thing that drove her to one aim; to live. It was simple really, faced with a glowing end, she did the only thing she could: she fired.

To say she was surprised would be a lie, this is what she'd wanted to happen, but to actually witness the young slip-of-a-girl, her reincarnate, her mere copy end her existence, she was astonished.

Kagome could only stand with a feeling of hollowness as her arrow, slammed itself into the chest of her former self, the wooden shaft quivered under both exerted force and radiating energy. Her eyes lowered and she found them studying Kikyo's bow, an arrow strewn at its side. The force of the attack had loosened her grip and her fingers had released their hold.

A thump and Kagome raised her gaze to the fallen form of Kikyo. She was dying…and it was because of her. She felt the tears swim over her eyes and her fingers loosen their grip on her bow. She'd killed Kikyo. Guilt swarmed over her.

_She had thought herself prepared, as stared down the spinning shaft that marked her death. How wrong she'd been. Her end was neither peaceful nor serene. It was quite painful; agonizing really. Death had not come swift; dimly aware she was of the metal that bit deep into her bosom. She waited for the fading of her senses, ready to drift into her final slumber, yet sleep did not come. Instead a prickling feeling erupted over her skin and scorching heat flooded her hollow shell._

A sound reached her ears, tiny at first, but then it was joined by others and a pale light began to dance against her skin. Warily, she stared at the deceased shell only to be startled into falling backwards. The clay shell that housed Kikyo's soul had begun to crack and splinter, miniscule fragments falling to the grass revealing a dim glow, a light growing in intensity. Kagome shivered as a rush of heat traversed across her skin and the sharp clinking of fragmenting clay became a sudden crescendo of sound and then there was silence. She'd thought perhaps whatever-it-was was over, if not for the warmth that flushed her body as she cautiously studied the immense spider web of cracks that spread along the hollow corpse. As she prepared to stand, the light within dimmed and a moment of dread grew in her stomach.

The scream that pierced the air was undoubtedly Kagome's as a light so bright it whitened out the darkening skies erupted from Kikyo's body.

_No, her end was not of peaceful sleep, but of torturous oblivion. The cry that erupted from her was both her own and another's, but it mattered not as it was swallowed up by the swell of hot white light. And then…she was gone._

**/\*/\*/\*/\*/\**

Blinded by the flood of light that seared across his vision Inuyasha slid to a halt. "Kagome!" he cried knowing that she was at the source. Willfully, he attempted to plow forth to the heart of the occurrence, but it was not possible. He struggled to remain on his feet as wave after wave of pressure crashed down upon him, scoring burns upon his flesh, purifying the demonic taint it felt within him. He grit his teeth, he was possibly walking to his demise. Yet, a part of him felt a sense of smugness knowing that he was not alone in his suffering, in fact he was sure that he was getting off easy in comparison…

Naraku, snarled as he nearly tumbled into a back flip when the waves of energy began slamming into him. "What is _this_?" he sneered. This was completely unexpected and worse he knew it could spell disaster for his plans, if not him. He forced himself to his feet and sensed out his adversaries; the monk and the demon slayer stood unharmed and merely bathed in the light's presence-_his sneer deepened_-, the half demon struggled-_not surprising_- as he attempted to plow further into the light-_the fool_-, and at the center of the event…the priestess. He snarled his outrage. He had to stop her.

He reached inward and pulled on the dark power that was the Jewel of Four Souls. He'd blanket them all in a fog of darkness and smother her light. A cloud of miasma dark as the shadows themselves began to seep from him and with his enraged call it surged forth.

He expected only two things to happen. He wanted to be victorious and for that he needed his miasma to swallow up the radiance that expelled from the priestess, and even if that were to fail he expected his miasma to merely be purified, yet neither were what occurred.

Instead, the two opposing forces met with a ferocious thunder that trembled through the air only to cease suddenly when the two powers vanished.

"_W-what?_" Naraku hissed.

"Kagome!"

His eyes landed on the girl when the half demon called her name and narrowed upon her form. She was seated on her legs, her arms hung limply at her sides and her body motionless, yet the air around her swarmed with motion. Her skin was alight with a pale pink glow, her hair and clothes dancing in the river of energy that poured from her. He felt disgust as she sat there: his opposite, bathed in holy light, while the tainted light of the Shikon no tama had swathed his form in darkness so deep it threatened to erase his form from sight. He had to destroy her, before she did the same to him. He raised his arm and prepared to attack once more…only he found that he couldn't.

His eyes narrowed as he became aware of a slow burn spreading along his core. He growled to himself. _What was that? _There was nothing in his core to cause such pain…there was only…that _damned jewel_. Startled, he returned his gaze to Kagome once more, searching…there. Near her hip, a starburst shaped scar burned white amongst her pink flesh. He could feel it, he snarled, it was calling to the jewel. _No._ The pain was more urgent now, searing through his core. _No!_ He tore at his armor, shredded his under layers and ripped into his flesh, desperate to remove the traitorous object. When he reached the jewel he felt his fear begin to ebb, only for it to become despair; _hateful despair_, his hand closed upon the jewel and he knew he was too late. It scorched at his palm as it too began to burn a blistering white.

The agonizing scream that tore from his throat was the only sound for his destruction as the light devoured his tainted form was silent.

The light soon faded and a tiny thump was the only reminder of the cursed jewel.

"KAGOME!" Their cries intertwined as they rushed to wavering form of their friend.

Inuyasha's arms caught her as she fell forward. Sango reached forward to assist him and the two lowered her gently onto the grassy hill. Her skin had returned to its normal cream complexion and no longer did her hair dance in the motions of an erratic energy. She was motionless. They panicked.

The monk had been slower in his approach, his awestruck gaze driven once more to the barren scorched ground were Naraku once stood. He'd watched as he'd seemingly been driven mad to tear open his body in search of an infliction. He approached the desolate ground and could only stare in wonder. Tearing at his robes, her wrapped the forgotten jewel in the cloth and returned to the side of the fallen priestess, his eyes briefly alighting on a remarkably human shaped mound of clay fragments and dust.

"Kagome! Kagome, wake up!" Sango shook her, while Inuyasha could only stare as his worst fears seemed to come true.

"Sango."

The demon slayer paused in her actions to turn her misty eyed stare upon Miroku. He gave her a gentle smile, "Look." And he pointed to the chest of her close friend.

Her anger nearly boiled over at the thought of him being perverted in such a tragic time, but it came to a quick end as she realized what it was he wanted her to see: the steady rise and fall. Kagome was breathing. She was alive. The tears couldn't be stopped now as her shoulders shook in relief.

"Inuyasha! She's alive!" She cried to him joyously.

"Yea…" His voice was a whisper. He'd recognized the sound of her steady breaths nearly the same moment his eyes had found the clay remains…_Kikyo_.

**/\*/\*/\*/\*/\**

_Meanwhile, in the Reikai…_

He'd gone over it several times. Every single individual piece of data was correct and no matter how many times he read over it the summation of the figures would not change. The young ruler sighed as he began to feel the true weight of his years settle upon his frame. Koenma's gaze slid from the stack of papers to the unnamed ogre who had bombarded his way into his office with his findings. "Do you know what this means?" his voice was steady and serious.

The rust colored ogre swallowed thickly and pushed his glasses up with a grimace, "Yes sir. I believe I do."

Koenma slumped into his seat and stared accusingly at the innocent stack of papers. "The human world is going to merge with the demon world."

The ogre did not stop his glasses from their slow decline to the tip of his nose. "Yes sir."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Afterword:<strong>_ :) Well I hope you liked it. Reviews would be lovely as feedback is the only thing that motivates me to write. After all, my goal is to share my idea with any who would read it and if it seems like no one's interested well i can just keep my thoughts to myself. :P

-_BlackFirelight_


	2. A Sense of Urgency

**Disclaimer: ** ~glare~ …Why is it, you money grubbing lawsuit laying lawyers seem to think myself insane and out of touch with reality enough to believe I own Inuyasha and YuYu Hakusho, when I so obviously DON'T?…I don't know.

**The Darkest Priestess**

_**A Sense of Urgency**_

"Ogre!"

Koenma frowned when it was not only George Saotome who jumped in response, but the rust colored, glasses wearing ogre as well. "Eh…you can go now."

"Yes, Lord Koenma."

Immediately after his office doors shut he shifted his gaze to his faithful blue companion. "Ogre."

"Yes?"

"Contact Botan. Tell her it's an emergency."

"Then what sir?"

His gaze hardened as he once again glimpsed the papers in front of him, "Get me Yusuke and Kurama. Hiei too, he's supposed to be in the ningenkai as well."

George blinked in confusion, "But, sir… Yusuke's retired now. And Kurama and Hiei don't work for the rekai anymore."

"I _know_ that." He supposed his tone may have been harsher than necessary as he watched George flinch back. "I know, ogre, but it still doesn't change the fact that we'll need them."

Swallowing thickly, George stood straighter as he processed the situation, "Yes sir."

/\*/\*/\*/\*/\

"She's coming to!"

It was the first thing she heard as she rose from the dreamless, dark oblivion. Groaning, her eyes fluttered as they responded to the bright light that was cast over her form. They were fuzzy, bleary shapes at first, but gradually they cleared as her eyes adjusted. Confusion. It hit her somewhat hard, as she pulled herself into a sitting position with Sango's help. Why were they all just hovering around her like it was some sort of miracle?

"What?" She frowned at the sound of her dry voice.

"Thank goodness." Kagome's frown turned to bewilderment as Sango hugged her.

"Kagome!" She smiled fondly, although still confused as the young kit nuzzled her side.

"Lady Kagome." Miroku smiled down at her in relief.

"It is good to see ye 'wake again, child." Kaede called from her place near the fire pit, her fragile and withered skin lifting into a grateful smile.

"Keh! I told you she was fine! Quit smothering her, it's not like she was dying!" She didn't even need to look to recognize Inuyasha's brash tone of voice.

Shippo jumped to point at him accusingly, "You were worried too, Inuyasha!"

"Shut up, you brat!" He swiped his hand out to snatch up the child fox, but missed by a mile as Shippo leapt away and stuck his tongue out. Inuyasha had just begun to growl when he cut himself short at the sound of her voice.

"Inuyasha."

"Hm?" His stare unguarded and mildly surprised.

"You were worried about me?"

A faint redness rose to his cheeks and Miroku smirked in the background, "I-I…" He didn't get to continue as she asked another question.

"Why?"

The blush immediately left his face as he stared at her oddly.

"Come to think of it…Why does everyone seem so happy to see me awake? Did I oversleep?"

Her answer was not one she expected.

/\*/\*/\*/\*/\

Naraku was gone. And she was responsible for it. Or so she was told. She could recall the fight if she tried, but the death of Naraku just wasn't one of the memories that came to her. In fact the last thing she remembered was a bright light, a strange burning sensation, and…and…Kikyo.

She may not remember Naraku's death, but she did remember Kikyo's. In fact, Kikyo was where that light came from and the burning… Her eyes widened as she stared at the hut's floor. Her soul. Kikyo didn't have her soul any longer; it was back where it belonged. She tried then, to feel it, to see if she felt a difference, but in the end she realized she felt no different. She was silent for a moment longer, before turning her gaze to her friends. "The light. What happened then?"

Miroku answered her, "Well I can only speculate, but it would seem that your body was releasing a rather large amount of holy energy. And it seemed to attach itself to the shards of the shikon no tama within your possession. From there, I believe, what with you being so close, the shards resonated with the larger piece inside Naraku. It was like a beacon that drew the holy energy towards it."

"So," she began. "You mean to tell me I purified Naraku without touching him or without even meaning to?'

"Well," he fidgeted for a moment. "Yes."

She was silent as she took the information in.

"He tried to remove it, but it was too deep," Miroku stated somberly while staring at his lap where he fingered an object covered in cloth.

It took her a moment to realize that it was wrapped with the same cloth that was usually bound around Miroku's right hand. Her gaze shifted to the appendage and his eyes widened in surprise as she took hold of it.

"He really is gone, isn't he?" She spoke while sliding her thumb across his empty palm.

His expression was peaceful as he answered, "Yes, Lady Kagome."

Looking up at him, she blushed suddenly and moved her hand back as she realized what she was doing. "Sorry."

He smiled back at her. "It's quite alright. I find myself doing the same." He glanced at the hand momentarily.

She turned her gaze upon the object still held within his left hand. "What's that?"

He blinked before turning an odd stare upon her. "This, Lady Kagome, is your burden." With that he deposited it into her hands.

Her hands clenched around it as the familiar weight registered. _The shikon no tama._ Taking a shaky breath she opened her hand and began to unwrap the purple cloth. She hesitated as she reached for the last fold, but sighed and did so anyway. She froze as her gaze landed on a smooth milky white orb.

"It's white."

/\*/\*/\*/\*/\

Yusuke stared blandly at the blue haired ferry girl; his stare becoming colder as she persisted in hovering over his customer's head.

"Umm, excuse me?"  
>He blinked and instantly pulled his "customer satisfaction" face on. "Yes sir?"<p>

The customer, an average salary man, hesitated at the change in expression, but ordered nonetheless, "Yea, I'd like a miso ramen please."

He gave an affirmative nod, "Comin' right up!" He turned his back to the customer, seemingly to prepare his order, but really he was ignoring Botan.

"Oh, come on, Yusuke!" She pleaded with him from atop her floating oar. "Koenma says it's an emergency!"

He rolled his eyes, continuing to prepare the miso ramen.

"Please, Yusuke." Her expression growing increasingly worried. "Pleaseeeee," she begged.

Slamming the bowl down in front of the balding man, he turned a harsh glare up at her. "Go away! Can't you see I'm working! I get paid to do this! I don't, however, get paid to do Koenma's work for him! It can wait!"

Huffing, he looked away from the fidgeting ferry girl and frowned at the look his customer was giving him. And with a grimace he realized he probably looked like a crazy person, yelling at thin air. A tic in his jaw, he barked, "What?"

"Oh! Nothing!" the man looked down at his ramen, his eyes moving quickly between his noodle soup and the now thuggish appearing and seemingly crazed young man who'd served him.

Narrowing his eyes, Yusuke tilted his head at him. "What? Something wrong with your food?"

His eyes bugged as he shook his head frantically and began shoveling the noodles to his mouth, barely remembering to use his chopsticks properly.

He watched him eat for a bit before grumbling lowly, "Come back in an hour."

"Yes!" Botan cheered her success. "I'll see you then. I have to go get Kurama and find Hiei."

He cocked an eyebrow at the mention of the other two, but responded anyhow, "Yea, whatever," and watched her fly away.

He frowned, however, when he felt an intense stare on him. He glanced back from the corner of his eye and found his customer staring at him with wide eyes and a loose jaw, ramen noodles hanging from his mouth.

"What're you looking at!"

At a seemingly impossible speed, the frightened salary man, slurped down his meal, slammed down the bowl, slapped a 1,000 yen bill on the counter and fled. Stunned Yusuke watched him go, before plucking up the payment with a scrutinizing eye. _He over-paid… Oh well!_ He certainly wasn't about to chase his fat ass down just to give him his change. He was grinning as he stashed away the bill, but his grin faded rather quickly as he realized that he'd probably just lost a customer, again, for the fifth time that month. _Arrgh! _"Stupid Spirit World!" _Keiko's gonna kill me!_

/\*/\*/\*/\*/\

"Yes, mother. "

"I know."

"I will."

"Tell Shuichi I said 'Hello.'"

"You too, mother."

Despite the conversation, Shuichi maintained a pleasant smile upon his face. It didn't matter the subject, he was always pleased to speak to his mother. She was safe and happy and that's what mattered most. She was away on vacation in Hawaii with his step-father and brother. She'd waited until nearly one a.m. local time to call him as she didn't like bothering him at work or while he was aboard the train. It was normal for him to arrive at home around seven-thirty in the evening. He hadn't been expecting her call at such an hour, but gladly received it.

Hanging up his phone, he was still for a moment more before he turned a calm stare on the woman who hovered outside his window. "And what is it, Koenma would ask of me, now?" His tone far nicer than his cool and calculating gaze.

Botan flinched at his words. "Eh heh…It's not like that."

"Oh? What is it then?"

She was silent and her eyes searching. "Umm, I'm not really sure actually. He just said it was an emergency."

He narrowed his eyes.

She persisted. "Well, it can't hurt to find out, can it?"

He sighed. "That's where you're wrong Botan. It can."

She deflated quickly. "But-but…it's an emergency." She continued pathetically.

He eyed her for a long moment, before giving in, "Alright, Botan."

/\*/\*/\*/\*/\

Innocent giggles filled the air as the young demoness watched the frolicking feline bat at a just out of reach tasseled cord with jubilant glee. Her bright maroon eyes glittering cheerfully as she danced around the brown and white cat. Her laughter was occasionally accompanied by an obnoxiously loud guffawing .

_Moronic buffoon._

Her laughter settled as she plopped down on the grassy hill, her yukata slighty askew and her sea foam green hair tousled from activity. Shifting for a moment, Yukina straightened her clothing and tucked her legs beneath her just in time for Eikichi to pounce on the unsuspecting tassle that had laid momentarily forgotten on her lap. She laughed at the young cat's playful behavior before scooping her up into her lap to cuddle. Tossing a look over her shoulder, she called to the pet's owner. "You should bring her by more often, Kazuma!"

Grinning cheekily, Kazuma, more often known by his family name: Kuwabara, could only nod and agree like an entranced fool. He'd crouched to watch the biggest female loves in his life-his sister, Shizuru obviously did not count-frolic. Yet, he'd gotten so taken with watching the two play for the last half hour, he'd yet to shift his position and was now silently wondering if he'd even be able to move his legs, instead he commented, "Well I would, but it's kinda hard to bring her out here what with having to catch the train and the bus. Well, unless I sneak her on board….like today." He scratched at the back of his apologetically.

A brief look surprise crossed her face before her expression was quickly humbled. "Oh! You're right. How selfish of me to ask such a difficult thing of you!"

His tiny eyes widened and he shifted his weight forward hands thrust out and flailing in protest of her words, "No! Not at all! I'd lo—

He didn't get to say much more as the combination of quickly shifted weight and locked legs led to him quickly planting his face to the ground.

_Fool._

Both demoness and cat stared in shock at the young man. It wasn't until Eikichi called out tentatively to her owner with a hesitant meow, that Yukina reacted. It was subtle at first, a slight downward twitch of the lips as she fought, but soon the corners of her mouth lifted and she laughed aloud at his blunder.

Mortified, Kazuma lifted his reddening, grass and dirt smudged face from the ground with an embarrassed chuckle. Satisfied that her owner was fine, Eikichi turned and pounced on the discarded tassle toy with a gleeful purr. The sight of which had led to another batch of laughter from the young adults.

It was this particular scene that had the short of stature apparition twitching in agitation. Narrowing his carmine eyes, he sighed annoyed to himself. _Yes_, he was happy she was having fun. He was not, _however_, happy that she was having fun with…_it…the thing….the buffoon…him…Kuwabara Kazuma._

He'd been just about to start another round of the torture he could inflict upon the boy-although it would have to be all mental for now-when a blur of cotton candy colors streaked past the corner of his vision. He twitched. _How grand. _An even bigger annoyance had decided to grace him with its presence….or rather _her_ presence. He didn't linger on the fact that he'd been so agitated having his sister be near the overgrown ape, he hadn't even noticed the ferry girl approach until she was in viewing distance-something that could cost him his life had he been in Demon world.

Seemingly unfazed, his sharp gaze caught the soaring ferry girl by surprise as he turned to stare at her. "Eh heh. Good afternoon, Hiei."

"No."

"Wha-but! But, I haven't even said anything yet!"

Ignoring her complaints, the black clad apparition stepped down from his perch in a tall tree and fell an approximate four stories, a slight flicker the only sign of motion as he caught himself a moment before the ground. Boot clad feet firmly planted on top of rich soil, he reiterated, "No."

"But, Hiei-

She was unable to continue as he turned to pin her with a needling stare, "Tell that _child_" he spat the word, "that I am no longer under his thumb. I owe him no loyalty and I am not his dog to sic on his problems." With that said, he continued on.

The ferry girl grimaced, she really didn't want to do it, _buuuut_, "What about Yukina?" She gulped as his frame stood rigid and his vehement gaze found her own.

"What about her?" His tone was unusually low, as though he were daring her to respond in a way he disliked.

She flubbed around for a response, "W-w-well, I haven't been told exactly what the problem is, but Koenma says it's serious." Seeing him merely raise a brow, she hurried to continue, "A-and that it could mean the end of Demon world…" she trailed off softly.

He was silent for a moment before a look of intrigue entered his gaze. "How?"

Her gaze falling to the forest floor, Botan fidgeted before answering, "I'm not sure." Rose colored eyes dimmed with a familiar, yet foreign emotion: fear. "Koenma says not only that, but that disaster will fall upon the human world." Gazing down at him from her floating oar, she spoke one last statement, "I realize that Yukina is not human-she is an apparition-but doesn't she also call the human world home?" In nervous silence she waited, the hairs on the nape of her neck rising in apprehension as his eyes narrowed in thought.

She nearly fell off her oar when in a brief flash of black, the flame apparition had perched himself upon the flat paddle of her oar.

"Go."

Instead, she stared.

Snarling out the words, he ordered her, "Go, woman! Do not waste my time."

"Ah! Y-yessir!" She barely caught sight of Hiei seating himself, one leg bent with the foot resting on the paddle close to his body while the other dangled, before she surged up towards the atmosphere.

/\*/\*/\*/\*/\

"_So_." She turned her blue-grey eyes from the object to the purple clad monk opposite of her. "You mean to tell me, that this is the Shikon no Tama _wholly_ purified?"

"Yes, Lady Kagome."

* * *

><p><strong>Afterword:<strong> Yes, i realize this isn't all that long, but i had originally planned for it to be longer...but then i realized ending it here was just better and had more of a dramatic effect. XD So enjoy. I hate to say this, but expect at least another 2 weeks to pass before i update this one again. I'd like for it to be sooner and hopefully it will because i have a new way of writing, but...well honestly it seems like i have problems sticking to my own schedule. XD

Reviews are always appreciated and honestly...they are appreciated more than favorites. XD

-BlackFirelight


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